Kashmir.Watch

Category: Union Territory

  • Governor inaugurates 3rd J&K Agricultural Science Congress

    Emphasises on Organic Agriculture

    Srinagar: Governor, N.N. Vohra, Chancellor of the Sher-i-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences- Kashmir, stressed the usefulness of enhancing organic agricultural practices in the State. He said this in his inaugural speech at the opening of 3rd J&K Agricultural Science Congress, organized at SKUAST-K.

    The theme of this Congress is “Organic Agriculture: Prospects in Jammu and Kashmir”. Sharing his concern over the continuous decline in the soil fertility and increasing residual toxicity in the soil and water due to intensive use of chemicals, the Governor said that the prevalent agricultural practices have led to serious health problems and have adversely affected the sensitive biodiversity.

    Congratulating SKUSAT-K for its efforts in reviving and marketing of Mushkbudji, the traditional rice variety of Kashmir, he said that this initiative should be made as the stepping stone to larger public-private partnerships in the arena of agriculture. He hoped that with strong market linkages, organic agriculture would bring more profits to the farmers. He also appreciated the efforts of Sarveshwar Company in marketing of this rare aromatic variety of rice from Kashmir Valley. The Governor also released Kamad, another traditional variety of rice in Kashmir.

    The Governor urged the scientists to work towards raising new varieties and seeds and to change the cropping pattern as per the changing climatic and weather conditions. He further said that scientists should concentrate on devising ways and means to enhance the production and productivity of the crops in the rained areas as 60 % of the agricultural area in India is rained. He said that increased efforts in this direction would contribute towards addressing issues of food security in the country.

    The Governor also lauded the establishment of Krishi Vigyan Kendras at Gurez and Nyoma and hoped that these KVKs and the Research Station at Zanskar would help in increasing wool and agricultural production in the arid region of Ladakh.  He appreciated the livestock improvement initiatives, especially regarding the Pashmina Goat, which are being taken by the SKUAST-K.

    The Governor emphasized the importance of increased coordination between the various agencies related to the agriculture and allied sectors and said that quality coordination between the stakeholders could provide better support to the farmers in increasing production and productivity in agriculture.

    The Governor wished success to the participants of the Science Congress and hoped that the deliberations would lead to important outcomes for enhancing agricultural production.

    The Governor released 3 SKUAST-K Policy and Research Publications: “Apple Orchards of Kashmir Valley- A Study on the State of Affairs; “Rainfed Farming- A Review of Past and Future”; “Organic Agriculture Vision and Strategy- A Framework for J&K”. He also released a Souvenir on the 3rd J&K Agricultural Science Congress.

    The Governor felicitated Allauddin Ahmad, Dr.M.Y. Kamal and Prof. Anwar Aalam, former Vice Chancellors of the SKUAST-K, and lauded Dr. Parray for his work to support the farmers of Sagam Village, District Anantnag, in reviving Mushkbudji rice.

    On the occasion,  Sompal, former Chairman, National Commission on Farmers and former Union Minister of State for Agriculture presented the Key Note Address on decreasing soil fertility and adverse effects of intensive use of chemicals to the living organisms. Dr. Tej Pratap, Vice Chancellor, highlighted the research work being done in the University and at its various campuses and KVKs and described the facilities which are being created there. Dr Shafiq A. Wani, Director Research, presented details about the Conference.

    Syed Ajaz Ahmed, a progressive farmer, spoke about bio control agents and availability of markets for adoption of Organic agriculture.

    The Governor went round the newly completed buildings of the University and viewed the facilities created therein. He inaugurated Nund Reshi Convention Centre, Boys Hostel and Villa Willows Guest House in the Campus and complimented the Vice Chancellor for the good work done in building the required infrastructure at the University.

    Prof. Talat Ahmad, Vice Chancellor, Kashmir University; Dr. Trag, VC Islamic University of Science and Technology; Dr. Pradeep K. Sharma, Vice Chancellor, SKUAST-J;  B.B. Vyas, Principal Secretary Finance;  Rakesh Kumar Gupta, Principal Secretary to the Governor and  Asgar Hassan Samoon, Commissioner Agriculture Production were among the many dignitaries present on the occasion.

  • Geelani condemns Masrat’s ‘continuous detention

    ‘Release youth or face consequences’

    Srinagar: While condemning the continuous detention of Masrat Alam Bhat, Muslim Leader, Syed Ali Geelani, chairman Hurriyat Conference (G) on Monday said shifting Bhat from one jail to another won’t deter the freedom loving people of Kashmir from their struggle.  

    In a telephonic statement to KNS, Geelani said: “The authorities shift lodgment of Masrat Alam Saheb from one jail to another, thinking that this can break our resolve. But let me make them clear that they are living in a fool’s paradise. No pressure tactics, oppressive or suppressive measures can break our resolve and commitment towards right to self determination. Putting our leaders and youth behind bars has never deterred our movement and we will continue to carry on this movement with extra zeal and zest in future,” Geelani told KNS.

    He said that state government should read the writing on wall after the people showed their lack of interest in elections. “We warn the government to release our youth and political prisoners without any delay or be ready to face the consequences,” he added.

  • After recent searches for militants, 4 panchs resigned in Handwara

    Srinagar: At least four panchayat members on Monday tendered their resignations at Mawver Handwara in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district following recent cordon-and –search operation in the area by army and police amid reports about the presence of militants there.

    Sources told GNS said that four Panchayat members including two women have resigned at Mawver village while the women announced decision before local reporters and male members announced their decision in a local Masjid as well as before press.

    “The four independent panchs who tendered their resignations are Ghulam Mohiudin Sheikh, Muhammad Ramzan Shiekh, Shahista Begum and Haneefa Begum,” they said.

    All the four members are hailing from Badgund Panchayat Halka in Mawar. The panchs also announced disassociation from pro-Indian parties.

    Pertinently, army’s 30 RR, Paratroopers and Special Operation Group of police had cordoned off Shanu village in Mawver following the intelligence inputs about the presence of 2-3 militants on Saturday.

    “The joint team of forces had also conducted house to house searches adjacent to the Government Boys Middle School”, sources had told GNS. “The forces also recovered some food items from the suspected spot”.

    In recent-past, hundreds of Panchayat members have announced their resignations in south Kashmir after being attacked or witnessing attacks on the members by suspected militants.

  • JKLF condemns detention of its leaders

    Srinagar: Chairman Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) leader Mir Siraj-ud-din Dawood, along with Mohammad Jamal, Abdul Rehman Pahalwan and hundreds of other innocent youth are still languishing in police lock ups and interrogation centers, said a statement issued to KNS. According to this statement, JKLF while strongly condemning this oppression against political leaders, activists and innocent youth has said that authorities and police through various means are trying to prolong the detention of these people who were arrested before elections. JKLF spokesman said that throughout Kashmir valley hundreds of innocent youth are languishing in custody and tens of young boys from Lawaypora, Zainakote and other areas are also bearing the oppressive attitude of forces .JKLF said that this brutal attitude has made the lives of people living in these areas vulnerable and also the future of these inmates is on stake. JKLF said that all these acts of state terrorism show the level of frustration of rulers who feel defeated by the peop0l’s exemplary boycott and want to take revenge from the common people.

  • APDP condemns disappearance of Sopore youth, ask police to disclose whereabouts

    Srinagar: The Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons (APDP) while condemned the disappearance of a youth in police custody in North Kashmir’s Sopore has demanded to disclose the whereabouts of the disappeared youth.

    The family of Mushtaq Ahmed Changa, a resident of Hyder Colony, Arampora, Sopore allege that he was picked up by Special Task Force of J&K police from his home on the intervening night of January 29 and 30 this year.

    The family claims that “they heard a knock on their door at around 11:30 pm and after opening the door they found police personnel on their door, who were looking for Mushtaq.”

    “Mushtaq was asked to accompany the police and when a family member inquired about it, he was told that Mushtaq will be sent home in a while,” the statement of APDP reads.

    According to the statement issued by APDP, the family immediately went to police station, where they denied to have arrested Mushtaq. However, an FIR was lodged in this regard. Since then the family has no knowledge about his whereabouts.

    APDP, which was on a monthly sit-in protest in Srinagar, said the acts of barbarianism and cowardice are beyond their tolerance now.

    “The state cannot play with the lives of the people and ruin their families. The strongly demand his release,” the statement reads.

  • Elections can’t change status of Kashmir issue: Shah

    Srinagar: The incarcerated leader of Hurriyat Conference Jammu Kashmir (HCJK) Shabir Ahmad Shah has said the disputed status of Kashmir issue will not change by the change of government at Centre following the parliamentary elections.

    According to a statement issued to KNS, he said the Kashmir issue is not an internal issue of India but the issue of the future of the people of Kashmir, which the United Nations Security Council acknowledged by passing 18 resolutions in this regard. Terming the debates on Article 370 as “childish”, Shabir Ahmad Shah said that Kashmiris have been running a resistance movement against Indian forcible occupation.

    “Some pro-India people are talking about safeguarding the Article 370 while as some as hell bent upon its abrogation but the reality is that both parties are trying to divert the attention of world bodies from the core issue, the Kashmir issue,” Shah said, adding that our political resistance movement will continue till the issue is resolved as per the aspirations of its people.” He said Kashmiris should be given their birthright of self-determination as guaranteed in UN resolutions. The right of self-determination can also be achieved through the meaningful negotiations between Kashmiri pro-freedom leadership, India and Pakistan.

    Criticizing the undemocratic and inhuman approach adopted by Indian authorities with regards to Kashmir issue, Shah said instead going through the historical background of the issue, India broke all the pledges that had been kept with the Kashmiri nation. “India considers Kashmir its beautiful property and muzzles the voice of its people by its military might.”

    Shah said the Kashmir issue is a political issue and we want to resolve it in a political way but India is hell bent upon its political vengeance and exhorts limitless force on the people of Kashmir. “They incarcerate the Hurriyat leaders in and outside valley jails, implement black laws upon the people, arrest youth on false charges, and commit worst kind of human rights violations. It seems India is hell bent upon our ethnic cleansing,” Shah said.

    Terming the peaceful solution to Kashmir issue as primary requirement for the peace and stability of the South Asia, Shah said the core issue between two neighboring nations India and Pakistan has cost so many wars and God forbid, cannot guarantee the possibility of further destruction which will encompass the whole subcontinent, in fact the whole south Asia. Meanwhile, Hurriyat Conference Jammu Kashmir spokesperson has strongly condemned the shifting of Freedom Party’s Peer Inayat ullah from police station to sub jail Kupwara and of Muzaffar Ahmad from Central jail Srinagar to Tihar Jail.

  • Police recovers 230 bottles of Codeine Phosphate in Shopian

    Srinagar: Shopian Police on a tip off at Sofanaman crossing on Shopian Srinagar road established Naka, today. During the search the naka party intercepted seven motor cycle borne persons.

    According to a statement issued to KNS, upon their search police recovered 230 bottles of codeine phosphate Rexcof and Amcodine from their possession. Six persons Jahangir Ahmad Mir, Showket Ahmad Najar, Reyaz Ahmad Reshi, Abid Hussain, Mohammad Iqbal Wagay and Ashiq Hussain Malik were arrested, however, Shamim Ahmad Mir managed to flee from the spot.

    In this connection a case FIR number 103/2014 under section 8/21 NDPS Act was registered in Police Station Shopian and investigation taken up. During investigation it surfaced that Mohammad Iqbal Wagay son of Ghulam Qadir resident of Pinjoora, Shopian is the kingpin of the racket and is involved in number of other NDPS cases. These Codeine Phosphate bottles were meant for sale among the youth of the town. Police has started a manhunt for the other members of the drug peddling racket.

  • Panchayat members to meet pro freedom camp

    Termed Kashmir a dispute, held mainstream parties responsible for killings

    Demanded probe, threaten mass resignation

    Srinagar: Panchayat representatives Sunday stated that they will go for the mass resignation if they are perceived as an obstacle in the resolution of Kashmir issue.

    According to the KNS correspondent, the members of the Panchayat while holding the mainstream parties responsible for the killing of Panches and Sarpanches in the recent past, accused that if guilty are not brought to book, they will go for resignation en-masse.

    “We want a thorough investigation into the matter and want guilty to be punished. We are protesting so that the persons involved in the killing of our colleagues are punished at the earliest,” said Khurshid Malik general secretary, Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Association.

    “National Conference (NC) is saying that People’s Democratic Party (PDP) is behind the killings and PDP alleges that NC was doing it. We feel they all are killing us together,” said Khurshid, adding that by the criminal silence of the mainstream parties, it is being felt that we are being used.

    The Panchayat members further stated that Kashmir is a dispute and that they are the stakeholders like other people of Kashmir. “We have been elected as the representatives for the social services and 85 percent of people participated in those elections.”

    They stated further that if the guilty are not punished and a thorough probe is not ordered, they will boycott the forth coming elections. “We will not vote in the elections nor will we allow anyone to go near to the polling booth.” They added that they in the near future will hold a detailed meet with Kashmir’s pro-freedom camp so that we could get some help from them for holding the killers of the Panches and Sarpanches accountable.

    Khurshid said Panchayat members were ready to resign en masse, but had decided to hold deliberations with separatist leaders to clear their stand. “We are ready to go for en masse resignation, but before that we are going to meet separatist leaders. We have formed a six-member committee. We will go to them and clear our stand. We will tell them that we are not a hurdle to the Kashmir issue,” Malik said.

    Few days back, the All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference demanded the constitution of a judicial commission to probe the killings of Panchayat members in the state. In the latest case, a panchayat member was shot dead by militants in Kulgam district last Thursday. He said panchayat members were ready to resign en masse,but had decided to hold deliberations with separatist leaders to clear their stand. “We are ready to go for en masse resignation, but before that we are going to meet separatist leaders. We have formed a six-member committee. We will go to them and clear our stand. We will tell them that we are not a hurdle to the Kashmir issue,” Malik said.

    Few days back, the All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference demanded the constitution of a judicial commission to probe the killings of Panchayat members in the state. In the latest case, a panchayat member was shot dead by militants in Kulgam district last Thursday. 

  • Farooq Abdullah elected JKCA President again

    SRINAGAR: Amid ‘chaos and confusion’ incumbent J&K Cricket Association (JKCA) President, Dr Farooq Abdullah was again elected the president of the JKCA during the working committee meeting on Monday in which elections for top posts were held on Monday. Farooq Abdullah had claimed that he is not going to contest election this time.

    Reports said that elections of JKCA were held at Grand Lalit Hotel on Monday after three years. Insiders told CNS that there was chaos and confusion inside the election hall as some members protested that some office bearers and senior members of the Association have not been allowed to participate in the elections.

    Reports said that Vice chairman Jammu Shastri Cricket Club and another vice chairman from Sopore club were barred from taking part in the elections as their names appeared nowhere in the list that was pasted outside the election hall.

    “Why those members are not being allowed to participate in the election who at present are the part of the Association and participated in almost all the important meetings of the Association,” some members from different Clubs during election process raised the question amid noisy scenes.

    Reports said that Vice chairman Jammu Shastri Cricket Club, Shambu Nath Sharma and another vice chairman from Sopore Javid Ahmed Kitab after not finding their names in the list of members left the venue in a dejected state.

    “To pave way for the entry of the fake members, the real members were barred from taking part in the election process,” a member said on condition of anonymity.

    Reports said that the elections that were held for the first time after surfacing of the multi-crore cricket scam were marred by arguments and protests. Dr Farooq Abdullah was once again elected the president of the highest sports body of the state while Arvind Singh Mikkhi was elected Chairman. Some of the members who were chosen as the office bearers included M.L.Nehru (General Secretary), Idrees Gundhroo (Joint Secretary), Ghulam Muhammad Ronga (Vice Chairman) and Ghulam Muhammad Bhat was elected as Treasurer.

    Sources privy to the meeting informed that president JKCA, Dr Farooq Abdullah on this occasion said that the Association has received some bank cheques worth Rs 2 crore from one of the accused involved in Cricket scam Ehsan Mirza. “Mirza has informed the Association in case it is proved through investigation that he is involved in misappropriation of Cricket Association funds, he would pay every penny,” Farooq Abdullah informed the JKCA members.

    Pertinently, Dr Farooq Abdullah had announced that he would not be contesting elections, this time round. “It is enough, I have stood for long now, will not stand for the post of the President again. I have always been elected for the post unopposed and have tried to serve the Association to the best of my capabilities,” Dr Farooq had said while talking to media a couple of days ago.

    The last elections of the cricket body were held in 2011 in which Dr Farooq Abdullah, who has been heading the body for close to three decades, was re-elected as President, unopposed. Ahsan Mirza was elected general Secretary while Aslam Goni was elected as Chairman.

    However after unearthing of the multi-crore scam, Mirza, Goni and administrative officer Saleem Khan had to resign from their respective posts.

     

  • No ploy of NC worked this time: Muzaffar Hussain Beigh

    ‘Some people claiming to be part of Hurriyat helped NC in goading violence on polling days’

    Srinagar: People’s Democratic Party senior leader Muzaffar Hussain Beigh Monday said National Conference resorted to violence in North and South Kashmir on the polling days and for this purpose some people who claim to be the part of the Hurriyat Conference supported and helped this party.

    “National Conference utilized all its resources to have an edge over PDP, but they miserably failed in their designs as people even those who do not favour our party voted for PDP,” Beigh told CNS adding that those NC and Congress workers who voted for PDP indicates the anti-incumbency factor and the extent of hatred people have developed against the ruling National Conference.

    Former Deputy Chief Minister said that National Conference was sure of Farooq Abdullah’s victory on Srinagar seat and keeping this thing in mind this party did not enforce boycott in Srinagar, Budgam and Ganderbal. He said that the consequence were totally different and the people rejected Dr Farooq Abdullha and voted for PDP by heart.

    Muzaffar Hussain Beigh told CNS that for North and South Kashmir seat, National Conference used its agents and those who claim to be the leaders of Hurriyat Conference to goad violence. “National Conference spent heft amount to enforce boycott in North and South Kashmir. Boycott is another form of rigging and a tool on which National Conference has always relied upon,” he said adding that not a single ploy worked for National Conference this time and people rejected their candidates in all the three Constituencies of Kashmir Valley. (CNS)